


Crushing On The Commander

by tielan



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Crossover, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-06
Updated: 2016-03-06
Packaged: 2018-05-24 20:08:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6165156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tielan/pseuds/tielan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The last time Raleigh met with the Commander was seven years ago, just after Yamarashi.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crushing On The Commander

**Author's Note:**

> I don't remember where the prompt for this came from.

The last time Raleigh met with the Commander was seven years ago, just after Yamarashi.

He remembers the meeting more for Yancy’s ridiculous crush on the Commander than anything else. Not that the crush itself was ridiculous, just the extent to which Yancy entertained fantasies of meeting her again, being admired for his courage and cleverness, and being invited into her bed.

_After all, she likes blonds,_ said Yancy.

Raleigh didn’t point out that the Commander already had a guy, and one that was considerably more mature than Yancy, to say nothing of an actual World War II hero.

“Ranger Becket.” She shakes his hand firmly, presses her other hand over it as she looks him in the eye. “Well done.”

Is it the hand over his that heats his cheeks? Or Yancy’s crush, rising in old and unexpected resonance? Raleigh isn’t sure, doesn’t need to know. “Thank you, Marshall Hill.”

“I was so sorry for the loss of your brother,” she adds. “We lost too many in this fight.”

“But we won’t lose any more.”

“Thanks to you and Ranger Mori.” She turns to Mako and greets her in Japanese. “ _My great condolences on the loss of Pentecost-san, Mori-san._ ”

Raleigh can feel Mako’s grief brimming inside her, and wants to comfort her, although he knows better than to actually reach out a hand. Instead, he sends her thoughts of reassurance and love, and sees her shoulders straighten slightly as she accepts the Commander’s condolences. “ _My thanks, Hill-san. And for your support and assistance in holding the PPDC at bay._ ”

“ _And my thanks for your hard work in the program – and in your piloting. I’m sure those who we’ve lost are proud of you._ ”

Tears gleam in Mako’s eyes, and Raleigh looks away and across into the measuring gaze of Steve Rogers, once Captain America. His fingers itch to salute, but that’s not the way of the Corps. He manages to keep it to a nod.

“Sir.”

“Ranger Becket. I’ve read the reports, seen the Conn-Pod telemetry. That was a courageous thing you did, sending your co-pilot to safety and going down into the breach yourself.”

Raleigh doesn’t feel very courageous. “I…I could do it alone, sir. And Mako didn’t need to die with me.”

“And in the end, neither of you did.” Rogers tilts his head with a faint smile. “A word of advice, Ranger?”

“Of course, sir.”

“Courage is doing the job when all the choices are bad. Heroism is the word they use to describe it when it all works out.”

“What word do they use when it doesn’t work out?”

“Stupidity,” says the Commander, interrupting their conversation with a droll smile.

Rogers turns, and something like a smile gleams at the corner of his mouth. “I thought it was a damn waste of resources.”

“That, too.” Their exchange is light and yet their exchanged look is somehow as intimate as the Drift.

From somewhere inside Raleigh, the thought comes, _Yancy didn’t have a chance._

He glances over at Mako, and her laughter bubbles up inside him.


End file.
